“When the Czech and German immigrants who founded the town [of Schulenburg] first came to Texas, they found themselves missing the comforts of home and went about building churches to bring the old world to Texas. The result was the creation of some of the most beautiful churches in the nation, full of stained glass and elaborate paintings.”
(From “Historic Painted Churches of the Texas Hill Country”)
My previous post (Eating Through NOLA 2023) was all about the great food we enjoyed during our visit to New Orleans.
This post will include cigar shops, a cemetery, local parks and, most of all, Kilo and Harley’s exploration of NOLA!
Kilo, a nine-year-old pitbull mix, is a seasoned traveler. From California to New York, he’s visited nearly 30 states over the years. But this was his first time in New Orleans.
Harley, a Catahoula Leopard, was 15 months old when she took her first major road trip – from Central Texas to NOLA. She’s a great road dog, always eager to sit up front and see what’s ahead! And since her breed (Catahoula Leopard) is the state dog of Louisiana, it was the perfect destination for her first trip!
Although there was a small park down the street from our Airbnb, Harley and Kilo needed more space to be able to explore and expend some energy.
The pups love to go to the park each day, so we did a bit of research to find places in and around New Orleans where they could safely run and play!
During our week-long stay we frequently took Kilo and Harley to City Park, located five miles northwest from our home. There were many grassy areas where the pups could run, a lake where we could watch the birds, and plenty of sidewalks for easy walking.
Besthoff Sculpture Garden is located within City Park, and while it was “too peopley” for Harley’s comfort, Kilo, Leah and I enjoyed wandering through the sculpture area. (I had been there before during my first visit to New Orleans, and was delighted to return and see even more sculptures!)
Twenty miles south of us, across the Mississippi, was Parc Des Familles, a part of Jefferson Parish Parks & Recreation. There’s a dog park (which was closed for rennovation), an 18-hole disc golf course, and a 2,000-foot elevated boardwalk through a cypress swamp.
Park signage warned us to beware of alligators and snakes in the area, so we kept the dogs leashed and we watched out for swamp creatures.
One of the boys pointed out a group of turtles sitting on a log in the water along the golf course. Always on the lookout for a cool nature photo, I composed the shot to include many turtles.
To my surprise, when we returned home and I uploaded the image I found that I had photographed more than just turtles!
Traveling 15 miles southeast, and staying near but not crossing over the Mississippi River, we also visited Saint Bernard State Park in Braithwaite.
According to the website this small state park, where woodlands meet wetlands, offers a diverse habitat for wildlife and birds.
Following the nature trail we enjoyed the peaceful beauty, and were grateful that birds were the only other creatures we encountered!
In addition to taking the dogs to various parks, we also visited a nearby cemetery . . .
. . . two cigar shops . . .
. . . and saw a parade!
(No photos, though, as (a) it was too dark for good photography and (b) it was a bit too risqué for this blog.)
And, of course, we spent plenty of down time in the Airbnb fixing meals, playing games, and relaxing with the pups.
We all enjoyed our time together in New Orleans. The food was amazing, the scenery was colorful, and Kilo and Harley had many new sights and smells to explore! Thank you, NOLA!
(All photos ©Jeri Murphy Photography)
I first visited New Orleans with my daughter in April of 2015. (See previous posts regarding Layfette Cemetery, a swamp tour, visiting Laura Plantation, and, of course, the fabulous food!)
During that visit I was especially mindful of, and mentioned, wheelchair accessibility.
I returned to New Orleans in February of 2023, this time with my two sons and their ladies, and our two service dogs.
Our main focus was finding great food throughout the day, and taking the dogs to new and welcoming places!
(Note: Although I had visited some of these locations previously, Leah researched and suggested many of the restaurants, and George found two out-of-area parks for the dogs to explore.)
In a future post – “Kilo and Harley Visit New Orleans” – I will focus on the dogs, parks, cigar shops, cemeteries, and parades.
But this post is all about NOLA food!
Bearcat Cafe – Uptown
Although Kealoha had to work online during the week, her 11:00 am start time on Wednesday allowed us to travel to Bearcat Cafe on Jena Street for breakfast.
We were seated inside, where Kilo and Harley were able to lay quietly under the table and out of the way. Our server was patient with our questions, gave good suggestions for gluten-free / special diet entries, and even shared the recipe for the outstanding cauliflower grits!
(To read more, see my TripAdvisor review of Bearcat Cafe, and more yummy photos!)
Cafe Du Monde
Since this was the first time Leah and Kealoha had visited NOLA, of course we had to take them to a New Orleans classic: Cafe du Monde.
We were staying in an AirB&B on Frenchmen Street, an easy 30-minute walk to Decatur Street and the powdered sugar-coated goodness of beignets and cafe au lait. Again the dogs lay at our feet, unfazed by the people, the boisterous jazz ensemble on the corner, or the little birds seeking sugary crumbs.
To accommodate Kealoha’s work schedule, we went early on a Tuesday morning and were delighted to find many empty tables. We each ordered a cafe au lait and a plate of beignets: three freshly-fried puffs of pastry heaping with powdered sugar. Yum!
Commander’s Palace
In 2015 Amanda and I had a birthday lunch at Commander’s Palace, and I wanted my sons to have the same great experience. So I encouraged them to have a “day date” with their ladies and take them to a fancy lunch.
They all ordered the special “Mardi Hog” pork belly lunch, George imbibed in the 25-cent martinis, and the four of them shared a strawberry shortcake for dessert. They came home full and happy!
District Donuts, Sliders and Brew
One afternoon we grabbed lunch at District Donuts on Harrison, another suggestion of Leah’s. Although we missed breakfast and the Hot Chicken and Honey Butter Biscuit, we were delighted with the sliders and desserts we ordered!
Click link for TripAdvisor review of District Donuts on Harrison.
Coop’s Place
Traveling from Florida, Kealoha and George arrived in New Orleans a few hours before we Texians did. Kealoha had to work, so George found a cigar shop (Crescent City Cigars) and chatted with Tracy, the owner, who recommended we eat at Coop’s Place on Decatur.
We had lunch there the next day, and found Tracy’s recommendation to be spot-on! Red Beans and Rice with Smoked Sausage, Steak Po boy, Cajun Pasta, and Blackened Redfish. All delicious!
And the pups were comfortably tucked under the table, enjoying the smells!
Camellia Grill
As we were planning our trip – and our food destinations – I had only one request: Gumbo at Camellia Grill! And it was as delicious as I remembered!
Click here for TripAdvisor review of Camellia Grill plus more photos of deliciousness!
Cochon Butcher
The only eatery we visited twice in one week, Cochon Butcher’s sandwiches and sides were worth the cross-town drive!
In fact, our second visit was on a Saturday and many streets near Cochon Butcher were blocked off for the Krewe of Pontchartrain parade. That didn’t deter us; we circled tighter and tighter until we were within walking distance, then found a parking spot and walked in the rain to get to our muffaletta and cubano sandwiches. THAT’s how good they were!
See my TripAdvisor review of Cochon Butcher for yummy details!
Clover Grill
The guys went to the cigar shop and the ladies went to a wine bar. And afterwards, at the bartender’s recommendation, we walked a block or two down Bourbon Street to Clover Grill for great diner food!
See my TripAdvisor review of Clover Grill for more details.
Cooter Brown’s
Another of Leah’s suggestions, noted to have “yummy bar food, po boys, oysters, loaded fries, wings,” was Cooter Brown’s. And the food was, indeed, yummy!
Kealoha was especially excited about the Tuesday Night special – Louisiana raw oysters on the half shell for half-priced dozens. After sharing with the rest of us, she enjoyed nearly 2 dozen!
Please go to the end of this blog post for a special tribute which includes raw oysters.
Along with cheesecake and pecan pie at Camellia Grill, and sweet treats from District Donuts, we did seek out one other fabulous dessert shop.
This tiny shop offers the best specialty Italian desserts. We brought home Lemon Ice, rum-flavored Sciallotti gelato, and an array of sweets – including freshly-made cannoli that reminded me of my visit to Sicily a dozen years ago!
When I started this blog in April of 2012, one of my greatest fans – and a frequent commenter – was Ted Hess, Carrieanna’s uncle and my sweetheart’s older brother.
Ted’s remarks were always encouraging. He appreciated my adventures and, especially, my photography.
Frankly, one of the reasons I’ve maintained this blog is because I knew Ted enjoyed it so much, and it enhanced his connection to Carrieanna in a special way.
Oysters
When I visited New Orleans in 2015, Ted encouraged me to have oysters on the half shell and a beer on his behalf. Alas, I could not bring myself to eat raw oysters, and Ted teasingly commented about that omission.
Ted passed away last November, and I have lost a great fan and supporter.
So when given the opportunity, at Cooter Brown’s, to have a raw oyster in his honor, I had to do it. Kealoha was happy to share her bounty with me.
George suggested I have a Vodka Oyster Shooter. Kealoha and Leah joined me in this toast.
Cheers and Godspeed, Ted. Thank you for your humor, wisdom, and enduring support. We miss you.
To honor the 13th anniversary of Rich’s passing (on September 8, 2022) I wanted to go to a place I thought he would enjoy. Since I have moved to Texas, visiting the Northern California coast was not an option.
Instead, I decided to visit a botanic garden – an activity that we had enjoyed together, most notably in Santa Cruz and in Amsterdam.
(And nine years ago, while traveling in New Zealand, I visited the most spectacular garden in Dunedin! It’s my absolute favorite, and I think Rich would have loved it too!)
Earlier this year, while a California friend was visiting, we went to Austin’s Zilker Botanical Garden. It’s a lovely garden, but I wanted to get out and explore a little further from home.
So I decided to travel north and check out Fort Worth Botanic Garden. It was the perfect place to honor Rich’s memory.
(Note: Unless otherwise noted, the following information – in italic type – is from the Fort Worth Botanic Garden website.)
The Fort Worth Botanic Garden was established in 1934 and is the oldest major botanic garden in Texas. It contains a collection of more than 2,500 species of plants. Long celebrated for its beautiful rose, perennial and Japanese gardens, the FWBG is composed of twenty-three specialty gardens, including a tropical conservatory, a forest boardwalk, and a water conservation garden.
The Garden’s 10,000 square foot conservatory contains plants from tropical rainforests all over the world and an on-site greenhouse is home to the largest begonia collection in North America.
(I failed to visit the greenhouse conservatory. Obviously I need to go back – probably next spring!)
The Botanical Research Institute of Texas (BRIT®) began in 1987 as a nonprofit overseeing the former Southern Methodist University 450,000-specimen herbarium and 75,000-volume botanical library relocated to a 20th century warehouse in downtown Fort Worth. The nonprofit eventually built and moved to a Platinum LEED-certified building on grounds adjacent to the Fort Worth Botanic Garden.
Since that time, BRIT has grown into a renowned scientific research, education, and conservation center with a state-of-the-art molecular and structural lab, conservation seed bank, an established press and 1.5 million-specimen herbarium.
On October 1, 2020, after two years of successful partnership initiatives (involving Education, Volunteer and Membership programs) the two organizations with similar plant-based missions combined to become a single nonprofit.
Spend the day strolling through the Japanese Garden with its koi-filled pools, landscaped hillsides, crafted stonework and dramatic waterfalls.
I did just that, and found that this garden to be a favorite spot, both for reflection and photography!
Nearby, visit the iconic and historic Rose Garden, which includes a terraced ramp featuring walks that border colorful rose beds amidst a cascade of water down the center.
Unfortunately, there was no cascade of water when I visited. Another reason to return!
I found most of the garden to be wheelchair accessible. There was a detour around the Native Forest Boardwalk, and the path became packed mulch rather than pavement. A motorized wheelchair or scooter could have navigated it easily; a manual wheelchair might have a bit of trouble.
Manual wheelchairs are available free to our guests on a first-come, first-served basis. These mobility aids are not available by reservation.
Electric scooters may be rented for $30 per day, with no in/out privileges. This rental fee is not eligible for a member discount. Scooter maximum carrying capacity is 400 pounds per person. Scooters are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are not available by reservation.
There were wide paved and, mostly, level pathways throughout the garden.
Frequently when I encountered stairs I also found an alternate route that was wheelchair accessible.
Of course I spent most of the day wandering and taking photos.
I think Rich would have enjoyed this botanical gem. I certainly did!
Do you have a favorite botanical garden? If so, I’d love to hear about it!
(All photos: ©Jeri Murphy Photography)
Editor’s Note:
In honor of West Virginia Day – 3-22-2020 – I am reposting this piece from October 2012. There are two new photos, and the web links have been updated. Enjoy!
Almost Heaven, West Virginia
Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River….
The sky in the northern Arizona desert is beautiful and ever changing.
By day, the clouds are pushed around by the wind, sometimes briefly bringing a rain shower or offering a respite from the sun. However, the sun soon regains dominance until it sets in brilliance.
My history-loving son recently moved to Austin, Texas, which gives me a new travel destination! As we discussed things to do during my recent visit, he suggested going to San Antonio to see The Alamo.
He told me of his first visit there, and how much it moved him. He described the battle and the loss of lives, and spoke of the bullet holes still visible in the chapel.
He remembered standing next to his buddy, a veteran who became so filled with emotion that he had to leave the building.
In the United States November is recognized as National Native American Heritage Month, and November 23rd is recognized as Native American Heritage Day.
It is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Alaska Native and American Indian people.
Although I grew up in Utah, my first visit to Zion National Park did not occur until I was in my early 60’s.
We were an outdoorsy family, and our vacations usually revolved around camping, fishing and boating. But our destination was always in the north and/or northeast part of the state, and it wasn’t until October of 2017 that I finally visited Utah’s first national park.
During a recent visit to Boise, Idaho for a wedding I had an extra day available for site-seeing. So I asked my daughter, Amanda, if she would be willing to go on a tour of the Old Idaho Penitentiary State Historic Site. “Yes! I love that sort of thing” was her enthusiastic reply. And on a very warm Sunday we took the tour of the “Old Pen.”
Anything Is Possible Travel 